April 2, 2026
Houston, we have Windows
Artemis computer running two instances of MS outlook; they can't figure out why
Two Outlooks in orbit and Earth is blaming Microsoft
TLDR: Artemis astronauts called Houston because their ship’s computer opened two copies of Outlook, and NASA plans to remote in to fix it. Commenters split between roasting Microsoft with “Launch Windows” memes and arguing it’s just two versions of Outlook colliding—raising real questions about reliability in space tech.
Somewhere between Earth and the Moon, the Artemis crew radioed Houston with the most 2026 problem imaginable: their ship’s computer opened two copies of Microsoft Outlook. NASA’s about to remote in, and the internet is having a field day while the crew fights the world’s most boring space boss: email.
The loudest chorus online is pure fury and disbelief. One commenter demanded to know why anyone would trust a Microsoft app on a high‑stakes mission, calling the software buggy and unreliable. Another went full dystopia, saying we can’t even leave the planet without Big Tech “enshittifying” the ride. The mood? Equal parts exasperated and exhausted.
But the jokes are orbiting fast. The runaway hit: “I said launch window, not Launch Windows!” Another wag wondered if having two Outlooks means Artemis now has “2 Copilots”—a jab at Microsoft’s AI helper and the fact that, uh, there are two of everything on screen. “Microslop in space” memes have already taken flight.
Amid the roasting, a few cooler heads offered a reality check. One IT vet said it might just be Outlook Classic (the desktop app) and OWA (the web version) both running—something that happens during slow phase‑outs to keep users from, as they put it, “throwing a chair out a window.” Either way, the comments agree: Houston, please close a tab.
Key Points
- •Astronauts reported a spacecraft computer running two instances of Microsoft Outlook.
- •The crew could not determine why the duplicate processes were running.
- •The astronauts contacted Houston for support.
- •NASA is preparing to remotely access the spacecraft computer to investigate.
- •No cause or resolution was provided at the time of the report.